The Fictional History of the Appalachian Northern (Model) Railroad

The Appalachian Northern  Railroad History

In the mid 1970’s a new vein of high quality coal was discovered in the Belva, WV to Clendenin, WV area. At the time this area was discovered there was not any railroad access to this area. The closest line, the Appalachian Northern Railroad (ANOR Reporting Marks), that ran from Gauley Bridge, WVA to just beyond Jodie, WVA. There was not much online traffic and the railroad owned a couple of old consolidation (2-8-0) steam engines, in barely operable condition. The ANR however had a couple of old diesel switchers, to serve the line. This consisted of an aging Alco RS1 and a somewhat more modern GE U28b. Traffic was brought down for interchange with the Chessie, and the N&W at Alloy, WV. Some traffic was forwarded to the Penn Central via Chessie, but due to rate and interchange costs were prohibitive. The ANOR was hanging on by a thread. Dreams about turning this into a tourist line and take advantage of the up and coming tourist traffic from whitewater rafting was still a dream. This was about to change.

The Energy Crisis and the need for more coal put pressure for a rail line to Clendenin area coal fields. The Penn Central had collapsed and a new player, Conrail, came into play. West Virginia also had new powerful allies in Congress. One of these members was a good friend of the Appalachian Northern RR. A master plan had been developed.

Negotiations ensued, a majority of the coal rights were sold to Norfolk and Western subsidiary, Pocahontas Holdings. The N&W obtained a long term lease for the Appalachian Northern Railroad. However, protests were filed by other carriers and the line became jointly owned by the N&W and Penn Central. Before the ink had time to dry, Penn Central turned into Conrail. The terms of the deal left the ANOR the owner of the line, but the ANOR was jointly owned by Conrail and N&W. The deal also called for some freight rolling stock to be owned and painted in Appalachian Northern colors. In order to promote tourism and the economy of the region the Appalachian Northern had to run tourist trains and cater to the white water rafting customers. It also had to run a steam train at least three times a year. The state of West Virginia Tourism Office helped provide financial backing in the form of grants and very favorable financing to make this happen.

The ANOR built a roundhouse at Belva, to accommodate its steamers and do other car and locomotive mechanical work. The ANOR does contract repair work here for other railroads. From early spring to late fall the ANOR will run tourist line service from the recreation area near Ripley to Belva, where white water rafting charter services can be obtained.

The N&W and Conrail then convinced the state of West Virginia to take by eminent domain a new right-of-way. This right of way started at Belva, WV, continued northerly to Lizemores, paralleling state route 16 up to the Elk River. The right of way then followed the Elk River to Clendenin, with a couple of branch lines to a couple of coal mines and coal load-outs before reaching Clendenin. The line then went in a northwesterly direction towards Ravenswood WV, passing through Kentuck, Advent, the Cedar Lakes Recreation area near and including Ripley WV, where the line runs some tourist trains during the summer month. From Ravenswood the ANOR took over the old B&O line along the Ohio River up to Parkersburg. It serves the large Dupont Chemical Plant just west of Parkersburg.

The line then crosses the Ohio River at Parkersburg, where it interchanges with the Chessie System. The portion of the old B&O line that runs from Parkersburg, WV to Athens, Ohio was purchased by the ANOR. The line interchanges with Conrail at Grosevnor, Ohio, which is south of Athens, Ohio. From Athens, Conrail runs up towards Columbus, Ohio. This also gave Conrail (Penn Central) an alternate route to export its coal from southeastern Ohio. In return the N&W also got another outlet to the northeast Ohio steel mills and docks.

The line now sees heavy traffic, as traffic from Columbus, via Conrail and N&W trackage rights, down the line to Alloy, WV. From Alloy the traffic follows the N&W’s old Virginian line down to Princeton, WV. Coal traffic then goes on to export at N&W’s Lamberts Point. There is plenty of through traffic, originating coal, lumber and paper goods traffic. In the fall this line will see heavy grain traffic as well on its way from the mid-west to the eastern seaboard’s docks. The good times have arrived for the ANOR, now a jointly operated railroad by Conrail and the N&W.

As for the era itself, I have not settled on a specific date. I run anywhere from the early 50’s to mid-90’s. When I do run something I try to keep it era specific. Conrail 80macs will not pull 30’s era boxcars, nor will a Y6b pull a fast intermodal. You will see some NS units in the more modern era with some N&W units mixed in.

The modeled portion does not follow the prototype locations, but I have a yard at Belva, with a roundhouse and servicing facilities, a coal mine between Belva and Clendenin. I am also modeling the small town of Ripley, WV; the models of Ripley are generic and are not intended to match the real location, but instead give a representation of small town Appalachia.

Eventually, in the years ahead I want to model up to Parkersburg and include the chemical plant at Parkersburg and a rail to barge transfer. For now, I end around the Ripley, WV area.